11/15/2004

ODNR-DMR represented by Mr. Tom Pulay and Mr. Dave Clark from the Cambridge office and archaeologist Dr. Jeff Reichwein came to the farm to look at the subsidence. They brought “longwall panel maps” along to compare the area of interest and the mine activity. It was determined that this was indeed longwall subsidence and it may have been caused by the collapse of the “gate”. A gate is a road made through the coal at the edges of the longwall panel to accommodate equipment, ventilation, and power to the longwall. When the mine has gone through on another pass the gate or road is allowed to collapse and sometimes this happens some time after the actual mining of the area. Their official opinion is that these subsidence holes and cracks can be filled in with out removing any soil. That might seem strange but it had to be determined prior to doing the work as this area is part of the 57 acre James Kinney Farmstead. If any soil had to be moved around or buried or dug out it would have required an archaeologist on site to examine the soil for artifacts and make a record of what is found. This is within a few feet of the original Drovers Trail of 150 plus years ago and now also listed as an Ohio Byway. Dr. Reichwein did determine that if digging of the foundation of the wood and coal house is to be done the coal company has to hire an archaeologist to be on the site during this work.

Floyd Simpson